Alabama Post Election "Round up"

WETUMPKA, Ala. (AP) - A runoff will be necessary to decide the special election for Alabama House District 31. Mike Holmes, the former chairman of the Elmore County Republican Executive Committee, led Tuesday's Republican primary, but will be in a runoff Jan. 28 with Wetumpka car dealer Jimmy Collier. Unofficial returns showed Holmes with 1,370 votes, or 41 percent, and Collier with 979 votes, or 29 percent. Pest control company owner Frank Bartarelli of Wetumpka ran third with 638 votes, or 19 percent. Tallassee attorney Michael Griggs was fourth with 349 votes, or 10 percent. The district covers parts of Elmore and Coosa counties. The House seat became open when Republican Barry Mask of Wetumpka resigned in September after being named chief executive of the Alabama Association of Realtors. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Anthony "Alann" Johnson and Arthur Shores Lee will be in a runoff Jan. 28 to decide the Democratic nominee for Alabama House District 53 in Birmingham. Johnson, an assistant pastor at Zion Star Baptist Church, led Tuesday's special primary election with 229 votes, or 41 percent, while Lee, an attorney, won 180 votes, or 33 percent. Retiree Frank Topping was third with 89 votes, or 16 percent, and Demetrius Newton Jr. drew was fourth with 54 votes, or 10 percent. The winner of the runoff advances to the general election March 25 against Republican Willie "W.A." Casey, a Birmingham real estate broker. The House seat became open when Newton's father, Democrat Demetrius Newton, died in September. WETUMPKA, Ala. (AP) - A runoff will be necessary to decide the special election for Alabama House District 31. Mike Holmes, the former chairman of the Elmore County Republican Executive Committee, led Tuesday's Republican primary, but will be in a runoff Jan. 28 with Wetumpka care dealer Jimmy Collier. Unofficial returns showed Holmes with 1,370 votes, or 41 percent, and Collier with 979 votes, or 29 percent. Pest control company owner Frank Bartarelli of Wetumpka ran third with 638 votes, or 19 percent. Tallassee attorney Michael Griggs was fourth with 349 votes, or 10 percent. The district covers parts of Elmore and Coosa counties. The House seat became open when Republican Barry Mask of Wetumpka resigned in September after being named chief executive of the Alabama Association of Realtors. MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - Mobile businesswoman Susan Hightower won't be joining her husband in the Alabama Legislature. Mobile cab company owner Margie Wilcox defeated Hightower on Tuesday in the Republican runoff for House District 104 in Mobile County. Unofficial returns show Wilcox pulled 1,723 votes, or 51 percent, to Hightower's 1,657 votes, or 49 percent. Hightower is the wife of Republican state Sen. Bill Hightower of Mobile. Wilcox advances to the general election Jan. 28 against Democrat Stephen Carr. The special election resulted from Republican Jim Barton of Mobile resigning from the House in August to join a Montgomery lobbying firm.